“We have 3 years to prepare our athletes” and “not only in Lima, in all regions”: the true mission from today towards Lima 2027

So that the dream of exceeding the 41 medals obtained in the Lima 2019 edition is possible.

1. How important is it at this time for the country to once again host the Pan American Games in 2027?

2. Where should the work focus between now and 2027?

Francisco Boza – silver medal in Los Angeles 1984

1. Lima is ready and the work that the COP has done, together with the government, is impeccable.

2. We already have top-level sports infrastructure and my opinion is to focus on the 3 years left to prepare athletes for Lima 2027. It is a great opportunity.

Patrick Espejo – Record Journalist

1. It is a big decision and a huge responsibility. Well, now it’s time for a bigger challenge: to overcome all the good that was done in 2019. In infrastructure and, mainly, in sports.

2. An enormous step must be taken so that sport receives greater aid, and that it can become a success that puts us, now, at the level of other developed countries. Organizationally, it is a great opportunity to show that we are great.

Lucha Villar – President of the Parapan American Games

1. Hosting the Pan American and Para Pan American Games gives visibility to sports, the city and the country. We all played as our motto in 2019, which was the window that was needed for me to know the importance of sports and a sports policy.

2. It is a motivation for athletes to try even harder to represent their country.

María Fernanda Reyes – Surf Athlete – Longboard

1. The truth is that it is incredible because it will give us the opportunity again, as athletes, to win a medal for Peru, and not only the achievement, but it will generate tourist, economic, and social growth that will make these Pan American Games have a much bigger impact. Capaz did not see that impact in Lima 2019, because a pandemic came that affected everyone, but there was a positive impact, since it was reflected in medals achieved in Santiago 2023, in sports that had not been achieved before. So, if there was growth, today there are athletes who take advantage of this infrastructure to compete at a high level and the eyes of the world. Peru has some top training centers and that allows athletes from other countries to come to train. This causes them to consume what we do here and bring more investment in favor of our country.

2. The work should focus on improving the venues and helping the athlete, because Lima is not everything. High performance centers must also be created in Huancayo, Ica and in many parts of Peru so that the sport continues to grow, since sport allows us to get ahead. Despite the fact that in Lima 2019 there was criticism and it was achieved. Now, there are criticisms again, but I know we are going to go far. When we unite we make a bigger Peru.

Alexandra Salgado – Sports journalist

1. It is truly historic that Lima hosts the Pan American Games for the second time in 10 years, since we have been hosts on two occasions, the hurdle is very high, but it is a joy. Be careful, it’s not just the Pan American Games, this year the Bolivarian Games of the Bicentennial are being held, in an extraordinary edition. The new Olympic cycle begins with the 2025 Bolivarian Games in Lima and Ayacucho. So, that speaks of the importance that Lima and Peru have of hosting such important events in the same Olympic cycle, it really is important, it opens the door to everything.

2. Definitely, I believe that in terms of security, in terms of public transportation, train and mass transportation works are being carried out and can be streamlined. In 2019 there was talk of this being more agile and I hope this time it comes true. It was also agreed to build the La Punta breakwater and we hope it will be done. Above all, sport is decentralized so that they are more athletes. There has to be infrastructure in the regions and cities like in Huancayo, where it is the land of our athletes. I know we have to work more on security, transportation and the issue of decentralization of sport, so that not everything is Lima. It is a strong job from now on. We must solve the basketball issue, since we are disaffiliated due to the problems that there were and we hope that in Lima 2027 it will be played.

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